1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improvement of a cartridge loading apparatus for a camera.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, a film cartridge is known such that it is loaded into a camera by feeding film from the cartridge in which the film is completely stored. However, in the camera using a cartridge of this type, an exposed film cartridge may have been inadvertently loaded. Therefore, there is also known a camera as disclosed in the U.S. Pat No. 4,998,123, in which the camera provides a lock-out mechanism in order to eliminate the above-mentioned problem.
The mechanism includes a lock-out lever which is rotatable about a shaft and is biased by a spring in one side direction. With this kind of lock-out lever, if one attempts to load an exposed film cartridge into loading of the camera, the lock-out lever connects with the cartridge to prevent the cartridge.
On the other hand, when an unused film cartridge is loaded, the lock-out lever rotates against the spring force to avoid the cartridge, whereby the cartridge can be loaded into the camera.
However, in the conventional camera having the mechanism mentioned above, if a user incorrectly loads an exposed or unusable film cartridge into a camera, due to the structure of the mechanism, an excessive force may be applied to the lock-out lever and the shaft, thereby requiring a higher rigidity of each component and making the mechanism big.